Origin: 900-1000 Latin purpura, from Greek porphyra type of shellfish from which purple coloring was obtained
1 having a dark color that is a mixture of red and blue2purple with rage/purple in the face etc. very red in the face as a result of being angry or embarrassed3purple prose (also a purple passage) disapproving a piece of writing that uses longer or more literary words than are really necessary, in order to appear impressive to people [Origin: 900–1000 Latin purpura, from Greek porphyra type of shellfish from which purple coloring was obtained]—purple noun [uncountable]